Lion King 3: Kovu's Pride
by MySerenade
Summary: What’s happened once can happen again. Kovu and Kiara’s cub is in immense danger; Zira is back, ready for revenge; and Vitani, now leading the new Outlanders, finds her cub has gone missing.
1. Characters

**A/N: I don't own Lion Kin****g (sadly), or their characters.**

*************************************

**Simba**—golden with orange mane; king of Pridelands

**Nala**—cream lioness; mate of Simba

**Kiara**—golden lioness; mate of Kovu

**Kovu**—brown with brown mane; Simba's successor

**Asanda**—tan lioness, Kiara and Kovu's offspring

**Lani**—cream lioness, Asanda's best friend

**Taniqua**—light brown lioness

**Aula**—cream lioness

**Naseti**—golden lioness

************************************

**Zira**—light brown lioness; former leader of Outlanders

************************************

**Vitani**—light brown lioness; leader of Outlanders

**Namik**—brown with brown mane

**Taki**—cream lioness

**Samana**—golden lioness

**Dita**—light brown lioness

************************************

**Rafiki**—family friend

**Zazu**—messenger

**Timon**—family friend

**Pumbaa**—family friend

************************************

Simba, Nala, Kiara, Kovu, Zira, Vitani, Rafiki, Zazu, Timon, Pumbaa © Lion King, Disney

Asanda, Lani, Taniqua, Aula, Naseti, Namik, Taki, Samana, Dita © me, MySerenade


	2. Chapter 1

"Be _very _careful," Kovu warned his daughter, Asanda. "Never talk to strangers, if you see one, come home immediately."

"And _never_, _ever _go in the Outlands," Kiara added. "You can go now."

Asanda bounded off the Pride Rock and began her exploration of the Pridelands. _Finally… alone._

* * *

Vitani was counting on what she wanted to happen. "Today," she told her Outlanders, "is the day Kovu's daughter explores the Pridelands alone. If she earns her mother's curiosity, she will stumble upon Namik."

The Outlanders roared their approval.

"She will be lured into our trap… and we will snatch her, take her here, but we will not harm her," Vitani continued. "When Simba, Kovu, and their mates find she is missing, they will _know _we took her. And they will come.

"When we win this fight, they must give us something to earn Asanda back. And that will be Simba's throne, the Pride Rock, _and _the Pridelands." She ended in a snarl.

Once more, the Outlanders roared their approval.

It was an evil, despicable plan… just the way Vitani intended. She checked upon her sleeping cub, Namik. He wasn't much of a cub anymore, the way Kovu was when he first met Kiara, he was older. But then, so was Asanda. Her lips curled in a snarl at the thought of Simba's family.

She grabbed her sleeping cub by the scruff and swiftly proceeded to the edge of the Outlands. By then, Namik had woken up.

"Where am I, mother?" he demanded.

"You're meeting a new friend," Vitani purred. "Go ahead, Namik, explore." Then she and her pride disappeared as quickly as they had come.

* * *

Asanda had one purpose—to see the Outlands. And she was on her way there now. The warnings her parents had given her swirled around in her head.

"But I won't be going _in _the Outlands," she said aloud. "I'll be going _right next to it_." Pausing on top of a rock, she breathed, "The _Outlands_…"

Her mother's voice rang through her head. _And never, ever go in the Outlands_.

"Who're _you_?"

Asanda screamed.

"What are you doing here?"

She looked up from her crouch. It was a cub, just like her… only he didn't look like a cub.

"I'm Asanda," she said, sitting up tall. "Who're _you_?"

"I'm Namik," he replied.

"How come I haven't ever heard of you?" she wondered.

He raised an eyebrow. "How come I've never heard of _you_?"

Asanda was stumped. "Yeah, well, you don't come from Pride Rock."

"You've got that right," snarled a voice.

* * *

Vitani smiled. "We _don't _come from Pride Rock." She slinked out of the shadows.

"M-mother," Namik stuttered. "Wh-what are you doing h-here?"

"Watching," Vitani responded. This was perfect—excellent! "Unlike Simba, my brother isn't over-protective—just what I'm counting on."

Apparently they fed their daughter stories of the past, because Asanda whispered, "Vitani."

"How about you visit _our _home?" Vitani suggested, unsheathing her claws.

"I-I can't. It's in the outlands, and mother has forbidden me from going there," she responded.

"Unafraid, are we?" Vitani purred. "Excellent—and they'll never find out."

"They won't?" Asanda looked up.

"Not unless you don't tell them," Vitani said. "I know _I _won't. I'm not welcome there, in the Pridelands. If I set paw on their land, I must pay the penalty."

"What's that?" Namik asked, awed.

"Death."


End file.
